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Brandon and I had a rare kid-free afternoon, so we went out for a lunch date at the Marion Street Cheese Market. It is a restaurant as well as a market, and after having one of the best meals I’ve had all year (Brandon’s was good, but mine was excellent), we still had some time left before we had to pick up the kids. We decided to browse the market side.

The wine selection is impressive. We don’t drink often, but I do love to see all of the labels and the rows upon rows of bottles.

Say “cheese.”

We spent more time than we intended to, reading all of the labels and trying to figure out which varieties to bring back home. We picked two that looked good, along with some meats and olives, and then we got to the really good stuff: the chocolates. We bought two of their fleur de sel caramels, and we picked up a few candies for the kids.

We don’t go out often enough, but we did bring everything we needed back home with us to recreate a little Italian night. We can wait until the kids are asleep and pop in a movie, sure, but I’m thinking we ought to take our date to go. With me working at home and Brandon watching the kids all day, getting out of the house is nice.

I got them last year. I’m traveling right now so I don’t have them with me, but I think the brand was Hive & Honey? They were inexpensive, and though they’re cute and comfortable, the leather isn’t holding up well.

Oh this is such a great post. I would love to visit Marion Street Cheese Market if I was ever in the area! I’m actually quite obsessed with cheese shops and I’m always on the hunt for a good one! Cute dress by the way!

I can’t remember the name! Isn’t that awful? It was part of the brunch menu, and it was braised pork with eggs over easy, avocados, roasted tomatoes, chips, and salsa. I love breakfast and I love Mexican food, so it combined my favorite things into one amazing dish.

We have a “cheese shop” date every other Friday afternoon. Its nice to look around and pick out a new cheese. Then on Saturday once baby is asleep, we bust out the wine and cheese (usually Applewood smoked cheddar for me, a blue for him) and watch SNL together.

Ohh, Marion Street is one of my favorite places in OP. My husband and I used to grab dinner there on the regular, before we relocated. I miss it! Make sure (if you’re beer people) to try their Metropolitan Brewery fare on tap – Krankschaft and Flywheel are my favorite. They’re also in the cooler case, and you can (as of recently) also pick them up at TJ’s on Harlem & Lake.

Oh I love MSCM! I used to live two blocks south of it, and would stop by once a week on my way home from the train to pick up wine, cheese, and CHOCOLATE. I LOVE my new place so much but miss the convenience of being so near the Cheese Market. Have you tried Lake Street Kitchen + Bar? The service has improved since its opening and they have similar, but simpler, fare.

My husband and I LOVE the MSCM. We don’t live in the area but our wedding reception was at the little hotel down the street. We loved going there so much during the planning process that we stopped in with our photog on our wedding day to take a couple pics in the alcove with all the wine bottles!!